A not so regular fairy tale
by Sourcherry96
Summary: Join Thalian the palace scribe, and Jaq his trusted companion. On an adventure to find the Kingdom of Naiad. Sorry first story not used to summaries! :D
1. The adventure begins!

**Not so regular fairy tale**

Not so very long ago, in a not so far away place. There was a castle and in this castle lived the royal family a king, queen, princess, princes ,ect Sounds like every other fairy tale doesn't it? Well I can tell you this isn't a regular fairy tale.

I will explain the above later. Now I want you to imagine yourselves floating over some lush green hills covered with a wide variety of wild flowers. To you left a rather large village with smoke billowing from the chimneys. It is about.. Eh.. noon and everyone is heading to eat the noonday meal. What a coincidence right? Any way you look to your right and there is a castle settled in the middle of two majestic mountains not so far away from the village. Now we are going to start to head off in the direction of the castle.

We are now at the castle peering into a window to a vast library. There is a scrawny scribe still wearing his night garment. His chestnut hair poking out from underneath the white night cap. And his knobby knees protruding from beneath the edge of his night garment. I will give you a hint that is me. And my name is Thalian. You see I already answered one question as to the other you will just keep reading and find out.

Exactly why am I still in my night garment and hat when it is high noon, you may ask? It is because I found myself pouring over a piece of parchment that was rather quite fascinating.

"Simply amazing! I must tell his majesty at once!"

That is what you hear me say quite engrossed in what I have discovered and still not fully aware that I am still not dressed. You will soon see how I fare with his majesty.

Let us now follow myself down a set of corridors as my voice slowly fades away. Don't worry I will still be here to explain some things, but I think you want to hear what happens next. You are left standing next to a bed clothed me in front of a huge set of oak doors. With two guards facing your way. Their metal armor gleaming in the sunlight pouring from the window opposite of them.

"I must speak to his majesty." A confident voice rings out, "It is of utmost importance."

"And why would we let you dressed in your night clothes. See his highness?" the guard on the left says sternly.

"What do you mean?" I say now fully realizing, after looking down to my bare feet, and naked legs. A burning heat starts to creep up my face.

"Well if you simply insist that you have to see the king now. I don't see why we shouldn't allow you entrance." The one on the right says mischievously.

He stepped toward me as I started to try and retreat down the corridor that I came from.

"What's the matter Thalian?" He questioned.

"I know you to well." I answered and tried to run, but he grabbed my collar.

"Please! I beg off you. Do not put me in there dressed like this. I honestly did not know that I was still wearing my nightclothes. Please!"

My pleas did not seem to work for the next thing I knew I was thrown into the throne room. I turned and pounded on the door and screamed, "Let me out! I beg of you!"

It was not until my hands where red and almost starting to bleed that I stopped and noticed that I was not alone in the throne room. Thoroughly embarrassed I turned around. Everyone and I do mean everyone was staring at me shocked at this interruption, and had stopped what they were doing.

King Jath looked at me with an amused face and started to laugh very loudly. I bowed quickly, my embarrassment still showing on my face.

"Thalian, I know you were a dedicated man in your studies, but could you at least come decent?" Queen Amelia requested, her blond hair flowing lose down her back while her crown sat on a pillow right next to her.

Her husband patted her hand as he composed himself so that he was a bit more dignified.

"She's right Thalian. But I will not wait please tell us you news."

"Your majesties I have found the legendary kingdom of Naiad."

"The one with the abundance of resources, and the beautiful princess?" the king asked excitedly.

"And the curse." The queen reminded her husband, who just waved it off by a wave of his hand.

"Yes, your majesties."

"WONDERFUL," the kings voice boomed throughout the almost empty throne room. "You must leave immediately. Have your pick of horse and knight."

The probable reason why the king was so eager for me to leave was all kingdoms far and wide were searching for this legendary kingdom.

"Sire, did I hear correctly when you said I could have **any** knight of my choosing?"

He nodded anxiously,"As long as he is honorable,will protect you at all costs,and is quick with his wits and his sword."

"Thank you. I shall pick wisely." I said that even though I already knew who my companion was going to be.

I exited quickly, without telling the king and queen where the kingdom of Naiad was, the woods of night. The most scary part of the land. But I guess you already knew that since that is where most kingdoms that are hidden or lost are.

* * *

An hour later I was searching for my companion. I had since changed my clothing into something more...practical for a journey, and had packed some books that would be of some use to us on the journey.

I found her in the knights courtyard mutilating a straw dummy. After she was done with that, she turned to a jousting had a ball and chain for one arm and a shield for another. And a circular bottom. So when you hit it, it would rock back and forth swinging the ball so you would have to defend and attack.

That's right I said 'her', she is the best knight...well female knight...that I know. Her name is Jacquelyn Jaq for short. She had tan skin, blond hair that stuck up in the oddest ways, and green eyes that sparkled. Even when she was fighting, actually that almost never happened unless she was fighting.

"Hello, Jaq!" I yelled.

She stopped her sword mid-swing, and the ball hit her shield knocking her to the ground with a thud.

"THALIAN!" she screamed with annoyance, "You have got to stop doing that."

She stormed towards me sword raised, "If that thing was real I would probably dead right now!"

I held up my hands to ward her off, "I'm sorry, but I have a proposition for you."

"How..."

"Thalian, everyone knows about it!"

"Already?"

"The king is not exactly one for secrecy."

I had to laugh, she was right, I remember one occasion in particular. The royal children had planned a surprise birthday present for their mother. Of course, the kng could barely keep it a secret and had to stay far away from his wife in order for it not to slip.

"Well,will you go with me?" I almost pleaded. If she didn't agree I don't know what I would do next.

"I don't know Thalian." she turned away from me so that I only saw her back, "You do have the choice of every knight under the kings command. Why me?"

"That's a silly question. I trust you with my life, your great with a sword, and it doesn't hurt that you are my best friend." I counted all the examples on my fingers then looked up to see her facing me once again. "Do you wish me to go on?"

She smiled, "No, you don't. And I would be glad to join you."

"Great!" I said my smile widening, "We will leave as soon as you have packed all that you need."

I started to turn away ,but stopped when she called my name. I turned back to see that she was next to the wall now with a bag slung over her shoulder.

"I'm already packed."

"Great, now let's go pick our horses. And then our adventure begins."

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**I want to thank you for opening this story. I know I said in my profile that I wouldn't post any, but I couldn't resist. So please review and tell me what you think.**

**~Sourcherry96**


	2. The forest of night

A while later we where on the road to the Forest of Night. For your information, I had changed out of my night garments.

"So when we get there how do we break the curse?" Jaq asked as she urged her brown mare to a trot.  
"I'm still researching that part." I said hesitantly.  
"Oh." she replied looking straight ahead.  
"Don't worry I'll figure it out by the time we get there." I recovered quickly. Thinking she may get the wrong idea.

Now, you may be wondering who in there right mind would enter a cursed village when they don't have a clue on how to break the curse. Well I answer that question right now in two simple words and three exclamation points. NO ONE! Well except, of course little, ole' me.  
We continued on in companionable silence, until it was time to set up camp for the day. We where at the outskirts of the forest. It was just as I had read, the trees looked almost alive, the branches moving when there was no wind the grayish tinted bark making them appear sick. In-human moaning and screams coming from the deepest parts made shivers go up and down my spine. Every twig snapping made me jump and on the alert for something to jump out at us.

"Don't be so jumpy Thalian. Nothing ever comes out of those woods." Jaq said as she added more kindling to our small campfire.  
"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better."  
"You are welcome. So what are we eating tonight?"  
I started to rummage through one of my bags, "Hm, how does bread, cheese, and some apples sound?"  
"Perfect." She said. Then we both started to laugh.  
We finished our modest meal silently listening to the sounds of the woods. Their were no familiar sounds of crickets ,no owls hooting, nothing that a normal wood would have.  
"So, when do we enter the woods?" Jaq questioned.  
"I would say tomorrow morning when the sun is a bit high in the sky." I answered prodding the fire with a stick.  
"We should get some rest then. I'll keep watch for a bit ,you sleep." Jaq said leaning against a medium sized bolder.  
I nodded relieved, I felt better knowing that one of us would keep watch for a while. And I fell asleep more easily then I would have thought possible.

I awoke the next morning to find my protector sound asleep a blanket on her lap, and her sword ready to swing. Carefully, I nudged her with the stick from that I used last night. I did not want to have my head cut off, so early in the morning. She stirred and mumbled,  
"Mother, five more minutes."  
I kept in a chuckle and said in a high pitched voice, "Now, deary you wouldn't want to keep Thalian all by his lonesome now would you?"  
"No," she mumbled then said something incoherent. I had to laugh. She was just too funny. I never knew she talked in her sleep. But that laugh woke her up completely and I soon found myself on the ground with the point of a sword in my face.  
"Thalian." she growled, low menacingly , and it scared me to the core of my heart.  
"Sorry." I said softly.  
"Do not move." She said, and raised her sword.  
"I'm sorry I will never talk to you while you are in your sleep again, I promise." I pleaded she swung her sword down and it hit something right above my head I heard a screech and looked up to see a snake curled up above my head. Jaq had just saved my life.  
"What in the world." I exclaimed.  
"I thought that nothing could come out of the woods?" Jaq said standing up. And giving me a hand.  
I studied the snake it was green with a yellow line going down it's back I then looked at her, "This isn't from the woods."  
"What do you mean?"  
"This snake is found in the kingdom neighboring ours."  
"You mean..."  
"Yes," I turned and looked her straight in the eyes. "Someone else has figured out that we know where the kingdom of Naiad is. And they want to stop us."

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**Thank you all again for reading! Please review! :D ~Sourcherry96**


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